Archive for May, 2014

Years ago, in a reflective moment, I asked a long-time foundation executive: “What is your most significant organization concern?” She said, “abuse of power.”

It requires maturity and clear perspective to hold this opinion. Her reply created affinity with me. I think power is the weighted issue in managing and leading.

Common Good

Other-centered and high-performing leaders are necessary to teams, communities and organizations of all kinds. For me, the issues of influence are most profound in the non-profit sector. Charitable organizations, charged with the common good, are valuable only if they deliver on their mission promise. Sometimes it’s quality education, human rights, clean water or other serious challenges in human and community development. These organizations vary considerably in their effectiveness.

Intentionally Selfless

My attention was captured recently by the relevant and wise counsel of David McCullough, Jr and news coverage about his commencement speech. In compelling language (see video here or read text here) he challenged entitlement, which is often a precursor to self-interest and the abuse of power. McCullough asked graduates to create a life that’s extraordinary and intentionally selfless. He urged listeners to discard marketing and aim at real achievement. I think this is a partial antidote to the realistic foundation leader who shared her worry.

It’s a useful reminder for those in a “big job” or any role that has the potential to influence circumstances and people. Each of us does have this opportunity in some way – every day. Treat it with care.

–Lisa Wyatt, Ed.D. is chief strategy officer and partner in Phillips Wyatt Knowlton, Inc. PWK is a performance management resource for systems and social change with clients worldwide. Lisa has cross-sector and international experience. She is an author and W.K. Kellogg Leadership Fellow. See: www.pwkinc.com

Not long ago big US banks and other financial institutions sold risky derivatives. They were high-risk sub-prime mortgages divided into investment “opportunities.” After the economic meltdown they created, a salesman was asked who would want to buy these. He replied: “Idiots.”

History shows very smart people discard clear signals about value and risk. In the desire for a big return, investors chose to emphasize what could support their choice; they ignored evidence. It blossomed into self-deception and then spread among peers. This is groupthink. It is dangerous because the focus is on protecting an unfounded treasured opinion. This ensures shared blind spots and ultimately generates bad decisions. In contrast, a healthy team provides multiple perspectives in candid, independent contributions. When information flows freely – it is more likely good decisions are made.

Because it’s effective and predictable, groupthink is consciously engineered. Too often it happens in crucial personnel selection and civic cheerleading that obfuscates challenges or accountability. A classic example was the decision to invade Iraq based on imaginary “weapons of mass destruction.” Sexism and racism rely on groupthink, too. They are efforts to protect a position that become habitual and are normalized.

Groupthink can happen in any situation where decision-makers are insulated. One or several things occur to feed it. The group is fooled by unreliable people, there’s failure to ask provoking questions and data is ignored (or skewed).The risks of insulation underscores the value of transparency. Because self-deception is so common, consciously steering past shared blind spots is vital in managing for results.

We can disarm the grim implications of groupthink by these tactics:

• Ask others to think about their thinking (meta-cognition),

• Spotlight what might get buried by bias, indifference or suppression,

• Assure quality information from multiple methods,

• Actively seek diverse as well as contrary opinion, and

• Surface assumptions.

–Lisa Wyatt, Ed.D. is chief strategy officer and partner in Phillips Wyatt Knowlton, Inc. PWK is a performance management resource for systems and social change with clients worldwide. Lisa has cross-sector and international experience. She is an author and W.K. Kellogg Leadership Fellow. See: http://www.pwkinc.com